Gov. DeSantis backs Elon Musk in Ukraine internet flap - Florida Politics

1 year ago 48

'Don't wound the manus that feeds you. Good Lord!'

Gov. Ron DeSantis is weighing successful on Elon Musk’s caller quality with Ukraine astir Starlink outer net costs.

DeSantis is siding with the South African billionaire implicit the federation nether onslaught from Moscow, suggesting that Ukrainian officials were biting the manus that feeds them successful criticizing Musk successful caller days. Musk had complained astir the cost, but yet relented and said he’d support providing outer net units.

“When Russia invaded Ukraine, Elon Musk positioned his satellites implicit Ukraine and gave them these things. So they’ve really been utilizing his devices to beryllium capable to support their country, and I conjecture immoderate of the radical successful the authorities were attacking Musk,” DeSantis said Monday.

“And I’m conscionable reasoning to myself, he’s doing this for free,” DeSantis said. “Don’t wound the manus that feeds you. Good Lord!”

“He’s provided that for them for free,” DeSantis added. “And if you deliberation astir it, successful a state that big, fixed what’s going on, that’s tens of millions of dollars that he’s efficaciously donated.”

DeSantis’ defence of Musk came aft questions astatine a post-Hurricane Ian property league successful North Port Monday, wherever a section Comcast lawsuit asked astir mediocre net reception successful his area. DeSantis suggested that “Elon Musk devices” and “Musk stuff” astatine nationalist areas successful each region whitethorn assistance successful the abbreviated term, referring to the units Musk offered for free successful Ian’s wake.

The communal admiration nine betwixt Musk and DeSantis has existed for immoderate time. Musk has mused that DeSantis whitethorn beryllium a good prime for President. DeSantis has agreed with Musk’s contentions that “whoever controls the teleprompter” controls President Joe Biden.

On the question of Ukraine, DeSantis’ words person been open to interpretation since the Russian penetration earlier this year. DeSantis offered comments broadly supportive of the “moxie” of Ukrainian absorption fighters, though helium stopped abbreviated of the benignant of untrammeled enactment for the Ukrainian warfare effort that others offered adjacent successful the aboriginal days of the war.

His criticisms were directed to President Joe Biden much truthful than Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who DeSantis does not look to respect.

“This is simply a feline who fundamentally is an authoritarian state presumption attendant — OK? — with some legacy atomic weapons from the aged Soviet Union,” DeSantis said of Putin successful February.